Richard Bell-Davies

Vice Admiral Richard Bell-Davies VC, CB, DSO, AFC, RN (May 19 1886 - February 26 1966), also known as Richard Bell Davies, was a British First World War fighter pilot, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the British and Commonwealth armed forces.

Background

Born in Kensington, London, Bell-Davies served as a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War.

He was awarded the Victoria Cross on January 1 1916 for action at Ferrijik Junction, Bulgaria on November 19 1915. He was 29 years old, and a Squadron Commander in 3 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

While carrying out an air attack at Ferrijik Junction, Bulgaria, one of the planes engaged in the bombing mission was brought down, the pilot (Flight Sub-Lieutenant Gilbert Formby Smylie) made a safe landing. Seeing, however, that Bulgarian troops were approaching, he set fire to his aircraft. He then realised that Squadron Commander Davies was preparing to land to rescue him, so he detonated the last bomb on the burning aircraft, with a pistol shot, in case it should blow up as the rescue plane approached. The squadron commander landed as near as possible to the stranded pilot, picking him up just as the enemy came within rifle range.

Bell-Davies achieved the rank of Vice-Admiral upon retiring on May 29 1941, his last appointment being Rear Admiral, Naval Air Stations (HMS Daedalus). He then joined the Royal Naval Reserve with a reduction in rank to Commander, and served as a Convoy Commodore and then as commissioning captain of the escort carrier "Dasher" and the trials carrier "Pretoria Castle."

He died at RNH Haslar in Gosport, Hampshire. His Victoria Cross is on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovil, Somerset.

Written works

His memoirs "Sailor in the Air; The Memoirs of Vice Admiral Richard Bell Davies, VC RN" were published posthumously in 1967.

This book is out of print but well worth reading if it can be obtained. It is a fascinating account of life in the pre-WW1 Royal Navy as well of the air war in Flanders in 1914, and then in Gallipoli, and of the development of the aircraft carrier in 1916-18. As with many autobiographies of Victoria Cross winners, he does not mention the award at all, and gives a highly understated account of the action involved.

References

*"Monuments To Courage" (David Harvey, 1999)
*"The Register of the Victoria Cross" (This England, 1997)
*"VCs of the First World War - Air VCs" (P G Cooksley, 1999)
*"VCs of the First World War - Gallipoli" (Stephen Snelling, 1995)

External links

* [http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/hampshir.htm Location of grave and VC medal] "(Hampshire)"
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